VALPARAISO | More than 300 youth and adult youth leaders from throughout northwest Indiana will experience and celebrate their Catholic faith at the fifth annual Catholic Youth Xperience this weekend in Valparaiso. The dates, Friday through Sunday, were chosen to coincide with the international celebration of World Youth Day in Australia.

World Youth Day is held every 2-3 years in locations around the globe, highlighted by prayer experiences led by Pope Benedict XVI. This year the week-long event will be held in Sydney, Australia. When the high cost of travel prevented the diocese from leading a pilgrimage overseas, CYX event planners decided to move their annual youth conference up a week, and use the occasion to make local teens feel that CYX is "the next best thing" to actually attending the global event.

"We want not only to teach the teens a little bit about World Youth Day, but to also feel like they are truly a part of it, that they are in union with their brothers and sisters down under," said Diocese of Gary Director of Youth Ministry Kevin Driscoll, head of the CYX Planning Committee. Throughout the weekend teens will hear news reports about what is happening in Australia.

On Saturday afternoon, participants will board busses to a drop-off location in rural northern Valparaiso. From there they will embark on a nearly mile-long pilgrimage walk to Camp Lawrence, a diocesan-owned retreat and camp facility where they will participate in a variety of activities designed to bring the World Youth Day experience to them. The walk mirrors the journey taken by Australian participants to the site of the Papal vigil and Mass.

Because of the time difference, Sunday's Papal Mass in Australia can be viewed live late Saturday afternoon via a big screen TV with coverage by Catholic cable network EWTN. Other activities include a Christian concert by "The Average Church Band" from St. Edward Church in Lowell, a barbecue, a Way of the Cross and candlelight prayer service, a positive music dance and more.

The three-day conference for teens is organized by the Diocese of Gary Office for Youth and Young Adults, in conjunction with youth ministers and volunteers from throughout the four-county diocese. Participating parish groups are coming from towns including Gary, Hammond, Dyer, Merrillville, Lowell, Portage, Valparaiso, Chesterton, La Porte, and more.

Teens will participate in learning sessions designed to enhance their faith, hear from speakers and musicians, spend time in prayer, and participate in a closing Mass on Sunday with the Most Rev. Bishop Dale Melczek.

CYX will be held at various locations at Valparaiso University, primarily at the St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Student Center.

For more information, visit www.catholicyouthx.com

- For The Times